Interlude
by narrizan
Summary: Gojyo takes a break, from his travel companions and does the groceries.


--> Standard Disclaimers Apply 

Interlude

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Gojyo made his way down the street. He had been given a list of supplies to get for the ever onward journey. It seemed like they had been traveling forever now. He sighed. Hakkai usually did the shopping and would take Goku along with him. However today he felt like taking some down time from his road companions and had volunteered to get the groceries. As much as he enjoyed his travel partners company, even the surly monk. It was good to get away for few heartbeats. This way he could guarantee that he bought the cigarettes first. Hi-Lites for himself and Marlboro reds for Sanzo…though he did have half a mind to 'forget' them just to wind up the blonde beauty. Sigh.

One could say he had it good. Going on a road trip in such 'interesting' (for want of a better word) company, no ties to bind them to any one place, the wind in your hair (alright maybe sometimes sand, snow and hail too) and the only furniture were the seats in the house that was a Jeep. The roof was the sky and the walls the ever changing scenery. It was nice to have 'four walls' which changed every third or fourth day, as sometimes the scene did not change for a while as they passed through all types of terrain.

A constant being the assassins sent after them time and again. Another constant being the certainty of running into the Kougaiji-tachi…their not quite enemies, his half brother included in their number. It was like having friends round to tea. A quick how-are-you, a couple of rounds of punches, a clash of weapons exchange and all Sanzo had to do to fend off Lirin was hand her a meat bun. Maybe if that Yaone chick threw down a couple of smoke bombs, Hakkai would disperse it using ki or perhaps expend a little more of himself to put up an actual barrier. Then all civilized it would end they'd wave each other of with a see-you-next-time. Take care of yourselves now you hear.

This was a nice little village, with tended gardens and stone houses which although not new were well looked after; and even a couple of sizable stores. This was generally good news as he could probably get what he needed in one place. He looked at the list again…Hakkai left out the beer. Hmm did he do that on purpose? There were a couple of food vendors on the street. He walked past them not intending to stop, however, one caught his eye.

The woman was not young but she wasn't old. Black curly shoulder length hair and very dark brown almost black eyes. She was not pretty but she was intriguing anyway. She wasn't actually paying any attention to passers by; not even her own wares. She was intently watching two children. He was struck by them too. A little girl; she had big beautiful red eyes and red ringlets hidden under a scarf, and her little brother brown hair and brown eyes. _"Don't run away from Mama now you two!"_.

So he stopped to watch them awhile. A little happy scene to pull out when things got dark perhaps. He saw that she was selling cherry pies. They didn't look much but Gojyo supposed you did what you could to make a living right?

He thought a little. Hakkai liked pies, Goku would eat anything and Sanzo occasionally let food pass his lips. Perhaps if she was still there on his way back he would stop. At food vendors you had to use cash, so although he had some money. Aaah! Whatever. He walked into the first store he came to, got a basket and filled it left it on the counter to be toted up. Saying to the shop assistant; _"I'll be back in a sec"_. Gojyo stepped outside for a quick smoke.

He sauntered back up the street to where the cherry pie woman was. The children seemed to have settled down a bit, although the boy was intent on harassing his sister while she looked at a picture book. _"Can I help you sir_?" Gojyo laughed off the sir, and asked for four pies. She put them in little individual boxes, and then she carefully put those in a paper bag and secured it even with a bit of string. "_Mind how you go_". She warned him, _"they can be fragile"_. He thanked her and commented on her beautiful children, she perused him for a quick moment then said to him with a twinkle in her eyes… "_You are too sir, you are too_."

He went back to the store to collect his purchases, and when he was back outside she and her children were gone. And if not for the paperbag of pies, he would've simply passed it off as a fey moment. He made his way back slowly to the inn. He had his arms full, and he didn't want the pies to fall.

All in all it had been a good day out. He had even remembered the beer. Simply wonderful.

Owari

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Author's Notes: My girl although she does have beautiful big eyes, and ringlets. They are not red. I make no apologies for writing this. I wrote a fic to honour my children.

The idea of cherry pies came from Me-Nuriko's "How to make Hakkai Smile".


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